Simbang Gabi

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
SIMBANG GABI - A Filipino Tradition
Presiders: Fr. Pat Brennan and Fr. Apostol
December 22, 2007
Mass 6:00p.m.

SIMBANG GABI 2007

Saturday, December 22 at 6 pm

Join us for our annual Filipino Advent mass!
This special liturgical celebration
starts at six and will be followed by a reception in the Social Center
featuring Filipino food, entertainment, and music to dance by. Our very own Holy Family Simbang Gabi choir will sing Filipino and American liturgical songs and Christmas carols.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

MALIGAYANG
PASKO SA
INYONG LAHAT!
Merry Christmas
To All!!!

Contact: 
Evelyn Mercado – 847-221-5865
Almi Gilles         -- 847-359-3494

Christmas season in the Philippines starts December 16th, which marks
the beginning of Simbang Gabi[Dawn Mass] and ends on January 6 until
the coming of the Three Kings. Simbang Gabi, a unique Filipino tradition
which dates back to 1587, is a nine-day consecutive novena mass which is
held at the crack of dawn (why? to accommodate the farmers who had to be
on the fields at dawn during harvest season!).

The parol, (star lantern). represents the guiding light, the star of Bethlehem. Christmas festivities start on Christmsa Eve, (Noche Buena) when families, friends, neighbors, visit with one another for lots of food, fun and good cheer. The celebration continues on to Christmas Day when children go from house to house to visit their elders, grandmothers and grandfathers, godmothers, and godfathers, aunts, uncles, to "mano" (kiss their hands to receive blessing) and be presented with a small gift. The Simbang Gabi celebration in the United States of course has been altered to fit the "American lifestyle" but despite the differences, celebrating Simbang Gabi gives us the strong cultural connection with our home county, the Philippines.

Music by:
The Simbang Gabi Group of
Holy Family Catholic Community
Our warmest wishes to everyone!